


Radio Magic

by ltgmars



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M, Radio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2019-03-10 14:16:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13503282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ltgmars/pseuds/ltgmars
Summary: Broadcast writer meets radio personality. Then comes love (or something like it).





	Radio Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](https://ninoexchange.livejournal.com/profile)[ninoexchange](https://ninoexchange.livejournal.com/) 2017, originally posted [here](https://ninoexchange.dreamwidth.org/91852.html).
> 
> Note that AO3 does an absolutely abysmal job of importing special formatting, so this becomes infinitely harder to follow because I relied so heavily on fonts. Please check the original for how it's ~supposed to look~.

Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #001  
April 1

  
  
(opening word)  
AIBA: It begins!  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Please keep me in your favor.  
  
(simple self-introduction)  
AIBA: Since this is a brand new show, I'm sure there are many people who don't know me, so please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Aiba Masaki, from Chiba, born on December 24th, 1982. 176cm, blood type AB. I mainly do work as a seiyuu, and through that, I've had the opportunity to release two singles and act as navigator for _Game On!_ , the video game show for analysts. This is my first time doing radio, and what's more, this is coming to you live, so please watch over me kindly. Today's theme is new beginnings! Please send your questions, comments, and stories about new beginnings to flash@japanradio.net. That's f-l-a-s-h at japan radio dot net. You can also submit them on the Japan Radio website. I look forward to receiving your messages.  
  
(feelings on starting a new show)  
---  
  
  
  
  
Nino sits in a far corner of the recording booth and watches in wonder as Aiba steps deftly through the script. Aiba is one of the most popular seiyuu in his generation, so they hadn't had a chance to get a full rehearsal in before the show started. Nino's impression of him had been lukewarm at best, simply because the few meetings they'd had for the show were so quick that no warming up happened. Inevitably, Aiba's stern-looking manager would frown his way into attention and explain with a perfunctory apology that Aiba needed to get to his next appointment. _This is work, too, you know,_ Nino would think, but he was just the script writer; the radio big-wigs would hasten to their feet and bow like the hinges of their hips were broken, and Aiba would be shuffled off to whatever it was that was more important than their little show.

But sitting here now, watching Aiba work in person for the first time, Nino can understand why he's so popular. Not only is he incredibly expressive, which Nino gathered from his research before the show began, but he also seems genuinely warm.

"We'll be back after this commercial break," Aiba says into the microphone. After a beat, Jun on the other side of the glass gives them an OK sign with his weirdly jointy hand. Aiba leans back with a groan, stretching his long arms above his head, and then he comes back to the table, reaching for his water bottle and smiling at Nino.

"This is a good script, Ninomiya-san. Really easy to get through." The crinkles around his eyes dissipate as he takes a sip of his water, but then they're back as he gives Nino another smile.

Nino bows his head slightly. "Thank you, though surely you're used to dealing with all kinds of scripts."

"Not at all," Aiba laughs, flapping his hand in cheery denial. "I only get through the hard stuff by pretending to be Sho-chan." Out of the corner of his eye, Nino can see Aiba's manager quirk his lips up at the mention of his name.

"Maybe you should pretend to be the character you're playing instead," Nino suggests plainly.

Aiba laughs again, and his crinkles deepen. Nino catches himself tracing the way they come and go across Aiba's face.

"Ten seconds," Jun calls into his microphone, and Aiba adjusts himself in his seat, clearing his throat before the next segment begins.

  
  


Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #002  
April 8

  
  
(opening word)  
AIBA: We're back!  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Please keep me in your favor.  
  
AIBA: Can you believe we're back for a second week? The fact that we weren't kicked off the air after one episode gives me great strength. Aiba giggles into the next line. Today's theme is second chances! Please send your questions, comments, and stories about second chances to flash@japanradio.net. That's f-l-a-s-h at japan radio dot net. You can also submit them on the Japan Radio website. I look forward to receiving your messages.   
---  
  
  
  
  
It's only recently that Nino and Jun became friends again, friends in the true sense. Being the same age and having the same interests, they'd been good friends all throughout primary and middle school, but as they got older and they started to devote their time to what they found themselves to be truly interested in, they grew apart. The natural order of things, Nino had supposed. Jun had also gone through a late rebellious phase of sorts, what Nino fondly calls his "hellish ice age", and Nino had known better than to dig deep when all Jun wanted was space to figure himself out.

Nino's mom would call occasionally. "I just spoke to Matsumoto-san. How is Jun-kun doing?" Nino knew the answer, vaguely. People in his college classes would share notes on Monday mornings about how DJ MJ tore up the floor again, and their mutual friend studying acting, Shun, would sometimes send Nino messages about how Jun was a dick, or about how Jun does good work despite being a dick, or about how Jun wasn't actually a bad guy, it was just that he was in the process of finding himself and he came off wrong sometimes. Nino knew all of the above, of course. Even after falling out of contact, he knew that Jun was the same good kid he'd always been.

 _Jun-kun's doing just fine, Mom,_ Nino thinks to himself. They're on their way to an izakaya close to the radio station. It had been some amazing twist of fate that led Jun to be the sound engineer for the new radio show that Nino was working on, but Nino could have done worse.

"Sho-chan's paying, right?" Aiba says from a few steps ahead, nudging his manager in the side with a wide grin.

Sakurai's eyebrows furrow so deep it's like they've buried themselves underground. "How does that make any sense, Aiba-san? I am but lowly staff, serving your every wish and whim."

Nino's only known Aiba for a few weeks, but he's certain that's not the case with him. Those "lowly staff" are the ones Aiba calls his friends, the ones he invites out just after two shows because he's already decided they're the best and they'll make the best radio show ever.

"Now, now, Sho-chan, we all know it's coming from my wallet anyway. Right? _Right~?_ " Aiba scrunches his face into a failed wink that could curdle milk, and Sakurai laughs out, "Enough of that!"

Nino giggles, and beside him, Jun snorts. Yeah, he could have done worse.

  
  


Radio Flash #005, April 29 | 

2  
  
---|---  
(free talk about surprises)  
"So recently I've been going out with the staff after the show ends each week. It doesn't end too late -- midnight, right? -- so there's just enough time to go out before everyone heads home for the night."  
  
Nino shoots a glance through the glass at Sakurai, who just shrugs.  
  
"The broadcast writer who works on this script is actually a magician. Like literally. He pulled out a deck of cards last week and was showing us all these tricks. I was so surprised! Right, Nino?" Aiba grins at Nino, inviting his response.  
  
Nino yells just loud enough to be picked up on the microphone. "I'm the most surprised right now!"  
  
  
  
  
The biggest surprise, in fact, is that Aiba and Sakurai are dating, and have been since Sakurai became his manager.

"Forbidden love? That kind of thing?" Nino stabs at a stewed daikon slice just to elicit a choked whimper from Sakurai "Table Manners Are My Lifeblood Even Though I'm Disgusting When I Eat" Sho. Satisfied, he uses his chopsticks to slice it into proper chunks as he awaits Aiba's response.

"It's not forbidden, is it? And we're not exclusive." Aiba tilts his head in thought. "I don't know, it's hard to explain. Sho-chan's a special category."

"Why, thank you~" Sakurai croons with raised eyebrows to hide the fact that he's obviously embarrassed.

"But you can separate work and your personal life?" Jun says, curious. It's to be expected. Jun's the kind of person who wears his heart on his face like a transparent kabuki mask. He pretends he can keep his emotions to himself, but his feelings are obvious even if they don't come out in so many words. What makes him truly professional is that he doesn't let it affect his work.

"Sho-chan's also different in public and private," Aiba says matter-of-factly. "He's good at that balance." This much Nino knows. It's the way Aiba-san becomes Aiba-chan once they sit down at their usual table, and the way Aiba-chan becomes Masaki once enough alcohol has made its way into Sakurai's bloodstream. Nino wonders for the briefest moment what they call each other in bed.

"What I don't understand," Nino starts, mentally shaking his own thoughts out of his head. His tone is serious, and the other three give him their full attention before he gives Sakurai a conspiratorial smirk. "Is why you chose _Aiba-san_ of all people."

"Oi!"

  
  


Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #006  
May 6

  
  
(opening word)  
AIBA: Nino!  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Please keep me in your favor.  
  
AIBA: Starting this week, as a result of much strong-arming and bribery, -- "Oi!" -- broadcast writer Ninomiya Kazunari will be joining us on the show as a regular personality!  
  
"I hope you appreciate how unusual it is for the script writer to be dragged onto the show like this," Nino says wryly before introducing himself.  
  
NINOMIYA: My name is Ninomiya Kazunari, and I write the base script for this show. Please keep me in your favor!  
  
"Your favor, please," Aiba responds, clearly delighted.  
  
AIBA: Now, Ninomiya-san, we'll get to know you a little more after the opening song, but for now, what's the theme for today?  
  
NINOMIYA: Today's theme is lost and found! Please send your questions, comments, and stories about things that were lost or found to flash@japanradio.net. That's f-l-a-s-h at japan radio dot net. You can also submit them on the Japan Radio website. We look forward to receiving your messages.   
---  
  
  
  
  
Nino finds a message from Ohno when he comes back to his phone after the show.

_Happened to turn on the radio, and you're on it. I didn't realize I knew a celebrity!_

That's stupid. Ohno draws and designs the cover art for some of the hottest new writers and singers, and from what Nino gathers, Ohno meets with them directly to get a feel for who they are and what their work is trying to express. Of course he knows celebrities.

 _It's true,_ Nino types back nonetheless. _If I get too famous, I might need to adopt a stage name. Your favor, please, Taka-san._

_Why am I getting a stage name??_

Nino laughs before reaching for his bag and baseball cap.

Jun has a "previous engagement" that he leaves for as soon as the show ends. (If their LINE group history is any indication, Jun and Shun will be getting utterly wasted and will send Nino a thousand incomprehensible messages he won't want to read. Nino turns off the group notifications.) So instead of heading to their usual bar tonight, the jilted three will head back to Aiba's place -- Sho's place? Nino's still trying to wrap his mind around their arrangement, and he's still trying to convince himself that he's not that interested in whatever their arrangement actually is.

Sho had insisted that they go back to their place as well, since Nino's being on the radio meant that he wouldn't just be behind the scenes. Building a deeper relationship in private would come through on the airwaves.

It's almost uncomfortably calculated in a way, but Nino doesn't dislike the line of thinking. Aiba's talent and natural charisma might have gotten him going, but in such a competitive industry, having someone behind him who can bring out his best is what keeps him on top.

The Aiba-Sakurai apartment is surprisingly clean for a space shared by two men. It'd be easy enough to assume Sho's the mastermind behind it, what with his by-the-minute schedules not only for Aiba's work but also for his own days off. But as they make their way into the living room, it's Aiba who puts his keys directly into the tray, hangs his bag on the wall hook, says hello to the plant on the dining room table.

"Oh, Nino!" Aiba exclaims, and Nino hates the way he hops a little in surprise. He narrows his eyes at Aiba, betrayed. "Let me make you a drink," but instead of heading into the kitchen, Aiba disappears into a dark corner of the room. "Sho-chan!"

On cue, instead of the overhead lights, a web of fairy lights switch on, glowing blue and white in the corner. There's a simple wooden bar, clearly hand-made with love, and assorted bottles lined up on a rack along the wall.

"Seriously?"

"He did the voice for a bartender once," Sho says as if it's a satisfactory explanation, "so he decided to make an actual bar to entertain guests with." He rolls his eyes, but his words swell with fondness.

Nino hums in acknowledgment, sweeping a longer glance across the colorful assortment of bottles. At least there's some good liquor in there -- not that he knows; it's all the same by the end of the night. "He really wanted to get into the role, huh?"

"No, I just wanted to feel cool," Aiba replies with a grin, rolling his t-shirt sleeves up to his shoulders; Nino lets his eyes linger on those muscular arms and the curious splotches on his shoulder for a moment. Aiba faux-casually pulls out a bucket of ice from a mini refrigerator and a shaker from under the counter, and Nino swears he can see a tail wagging, like Aiba's been waiting for this moment his entire life. "What can I get for you, Sir?"

Nino wordlessly turns to Sho and raises and eyebrow.

Sho simply shakes his head. "Just play along, dude."

  
  


Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #012  
June 17

  
  
(opening word)  
"Happy birthday, Kazapon!"  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Please keep me in your favor.  
  
(free talk)  
"As you may know, my good friend, fellow seiyuu Kazama Shunsuke, has his birthday today." Aiba nods emphatically, pleased with himself.  
  
"Hmm, are you doing anything for him?"  
  
Aiba makes hemming noises as he thinks, even better now at filling the radio silence than he already was when he started. "I guess I should do something, huh?"  
  
Nino laughs. "Don't be rude! He must be waiting. Why don't you send him a message right now, in case he's listening?"  
  
Aiba perks up, his chair creaking with the sudden movement. "Let's see," he says, shifting his weight to pull his phone out of his pocket. He waves it in his hand a bit and nods. "Kazapon, thanks for everything. Happy birthday."  
  
"So enthusiastic," Nino remarks, being careful to come off as extra sarcastic even though his mind is already moving through the next steps. He writes out some notes on the script in front of him, making all the right listening noises as Aiba expounds on his deep and profound relationship with Kazama. Aiba finishes and moves into the theme for the day, birthdays; Nino catches Jun's eye then, and Jun gives him a thumbs-up. They'll have the phone audio feed ready for an impromptu call to Kazama after the opening song.  
  
Nino turns back at Aiba, who's looking straight at Nino, eyes sparkling.  
---  
  
  
  
  
The moment the show ends, the lights dim, and wispy candlelight comes floating in Nino's direction.

Nino can make out Ohno's face behind the big "3", a visitor badge hanging around his neck. This must be Jun's doing, all of it.

Nino awkwardly waits for the singing to finish, awkwardly blows out the candles, awkwardly waits for the lights to come on, awkwardly puts up exaggerated peace signs because he's never been good at being celebrated. "I know, you're all so blessed to be in my presence."

Ohno gives him a drawing that he'd promised five birthdays ago; for some reason it's of Nino lumbering through the streets of Tokyo in a spacesuit like a creeper. Jun pulls out a bottle of 1983 wine from his endless collection of 1983 wines, because he likes little details like that and because they decided when they were kids who spent all their money at the arcade not to give each other actual presents for their birthdays.

"This is from the two of us," Aiba says, placing the box for a headset, unwrapped, on the table. "For game nights." They'd taken to gaming online on days they didn't see each other. Nino had watched a few episodes of Aiba's game analysis show before deciding he was worthy, giving him a multiplayer game that he'd perhaps allow Aiba to participate in. (What Aiba still doesn't know is that Nino borrowed money from Sho, from Aiba, to pay for it.)

Nino feels warm. "You really want to hear my voice that clearly, huh?" He winks impishly and immediately raises his hand to deny Aiba the chance to wink back. "None of that."

They make a toast in plastic cups, and Nino downs his share in one go even though red wine has never been kind to him. Jun tells him to "slow down, tiger" like he's Nino's father, and it makes him want to take another drink.

Nino ends the night, somehow, he's not sure how he got there, on the Aiba-Sakurai couch. His phone is on the couch cushion next to his waist, presumably where it fell from his hand whenever he passed out. It's dark in the living room, save the twinkle lights, so it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust when he tries to check the time but instead notices a message he's received from Jun.

_Have fun tonight. This is what you really wanted, right?_

Leave it to Jun, the master producer.

Nino closes his eyes again and breathes in deep, because he's in the right place, but miserably, uselessly drunk isn't what he imagined for himself. He can vaguely make out the noises from the bedroom that he wishes he were a part of, which he can only admit now because it's his birthday (a couple hours after his birthday) and he's allowed to be indulgent. There's some grunting, and some slapping of skin, and definitely a groan here and there, and every sound goes straight to Nino's groin. Nino can't quite put the pieces together, but he imagines Aiba's long limbs and Sho's Greek god butt, and before he knows it, his hand is in his pants, sloppily groping along. Sho makes a strangled noise, and the slapping noises continue until Aiba's low hum turns feverish, almost a sigh at the very end. Nino rubs himself faster, desperate to catch up even though it's that much harder when he's drunk, but then he hears Aiba's voice, a whisper drumming directly into his brain.

"I hope Nino can join us next time."

Nino cries out as he comes in his pants.

  
  


Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #021  
August 19

  
  
(opening word)  
"Let's dive in!"  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Please keep me in your favor.   
---  
  
  
  
  
It takes a full nine weeks to acknowledge what happened on Nino's birthday, sitting on a warm August night together on the Aiba-Sakurai couch as the end screen of a _Mario Kart_ race repeats itself over and over again. Aiba's Wario had put up a valiant effort, but to no avail, and Sho's Peach is in sixth place or something pathetic like that, looking dejected like she deserves. Nino's Yoshi does joyous laps around the track.

Nino sees none of it because his eyes are closed, leaning into Aiba's kiss.

He's 100% sober this time, and he feels everything that's happening to him; Sho's hand sliding up his shirt, his soft, plump lips on Nino's neck; Aiba shifting in his seat to get a better angle as he teases his fingers up Nino's thigh. He's not sure what made them do it, why today of all days the three of them silently agreed to stop skirting around the issue. Aiba and Sho never had much of a problem, because at least they had each other, but Nino's had to endure about five lifetimes' worth of heated looks and lingering touches. So when Aiba says, voice low, that he wants to congratulate Nino for winning, Nino agrees and lets his eyelids fall shut without another word.

By the time they decide to move to the bedroom, Nino's in Sho's lap with his legs wrapped tidily around Sho's waist. "Don't tell me those muscles are just for show," Nino teases.

Sho sighs, making a regretfully sour face. "But they _are_ just for show."

"It's okay, I'll carry the both of you," Aiba says easily as if he really, truly means it, and immediately Nino's on his feet, speed-walking into the bedroom with his half-hard dick hanging out of his unzipped pants because he wants to have this threesome happen at least once before he's gracelessly dropped and killed.

Thinking back now, when he's not just drunk and horny, Nino can trace it back to the day they revealed that they were dating each other. An open relationship with your own manager? What started as fascination and a little bemusement turned, over time, into something else entirely. It doesn't quite sit well with Nino that here they are, finally making this happen, despite not knowing how he got there. When did his own curiosity turn into attraction? Had it really? What are they all to each other? Does it matter to them?

Does it matter to him?

Maybe not right now it doesn't. With four hands on his body, undressing him properly but achingly slowly, he's finding it hard to concentrate anyway. But Nino files it away in the back of his mind, where he keeps his all of ideas and anecdotes like a small library of half-used notepads. He's not sure what Aiba and Sho are to him, but he knows that he respects them enough to want to figure it out.

Nino gasps, his hips rising slightly from the bed as Aiba stripes his tongue up Nino's cock.

"Nino," Sho says into his ear, his breath hot as he grinds his hardening cock into Nino's hip. Nino reaches out automatically and wraps his hand around it. Sho smiles a smile Nino's never seen on him, and it makes Nino's breath catch. "We wanted to give you this for your birthday, but you got so ahead of yourself."

He'd just wanted to work up the courage, that's all, and the alcohol was supposed to help him. Nino sighs, happy now, and leans in for a kiss just as Aiba takes him in his mouth. He moans, his free hand threading through Aiba's hair as his grip tightens around Sho's cock. Sho moans back, deepening their kiss, and soon it's nothing but a symphony of dirty, wet noises and wordless groans.

Nino files this away, too. He likes how their music sounds.

  
  


Radio Flash #035, November 25 | 

3  
  
---|---  
(messages from listeners)  
"Why don't we make that a segment, then?" Aiba looks down at the message he'd just read from a listener who'd asked for help on how to confess to her senpai. It was standard fare, but no one ever got sick of hearing about strangers' love confessions, which is why Nino had put it in the pile of messages to read.  
  
"Make what a segment?"  
  
"Love confessions. Like, let's call it: Aiba-chan and Nino-chan, Love Doctors!"  
  
"How about we leave the radio writing to me, Aiba-san?"  
  
"Eh, really?" He sounds sad, his tail between his legs like Nino's gotten sick of playing fetch. "I thought it was good..." But then he laughs sheepishly, recovering in lightning speed. "So Nino, how would you confess in this situation?"  
  
Nino blinks, caught off guard. He can't say that he has a good answer.  
  
  
  
  
Ohno's reply to Nino's birthday message is, _You SHOULD make it a segment! Or at least a special of some kind._

 _Your birthday?_ Nino messages back, knowing full well what Ohno means. Confessions are a lot harder than hanging in unnamed limbo, and he doesn't feel qualified to help with people's love confessions when he's still dragging his feet on his own. It's already been a couple of months since he sat down in his mental library and sifted through his thoughts, but sometime's it's just easier to fuck and let fuck than it is to put it all into words and risk making everything more complicated.

 _Anyway, thanks for the invitation out, but I have to pass this time. Kato-chan and I are going fishing tomorrow, and we're heading out early._ Kato-sensei's latest book had just been published, with Ohno's work on the cover. It's probably as much a celebration for Kato-sensei as it is for the birthday boy himself.

_Got it. Have fun!_

Nino only receives a photo of a grotesque sea creature in response.

"Oh-chan can't make it," Nino announces, waving his phone lazily in the air, wrist flopping back and forth.

"Ah, too bad," Aiba says sweetly, earnestly. He really is quite fond of having someone there on the same wavelength.

"I guess we'll just have to drink enough to make up for him," Jun says with a regretful nod, as if he needs the encouragement.

"Give me your strength, Matsumoto Jun," Nino mumbles to himself as they turn off the lights and head out of the studio.

Sho lifts an eyebrow at him. Nino just smiles and shakes his head, letting the door click shut behind him.

  
  


Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash #039  
December 23

  
  
AIBA: Merikuri!  
  
(jingle)  
  
AIBA: Good evening, and welcome to _Aiba Masaki's Radio Flash!_ My name is Aiba Masaki, and I'll be your companion for the next hour. Now, today we have a very special segment prepared for you, in anticipation of Christmas. "Right, Nino?"  
  
NINOMIYA: That's right! "Despite the stupid name suggestion," We're going to spend the next hour helping you work up the courage to tell that special someone how you feel!  
  
AIBA: Between Nino's amazing, untouchable writing skills and the dumb voices that I can make come out of my mouth -- "you're seriously rude, you know that, asshole?" -- we'll give you just what you need to get your feelings across. Thanks to everyone who sent in submissions! We can't get to all of your messages, but we'll do our best to read as many as we can.  
  
NINOMIYA: Today's theme is, of course, Christmas love! Please send your questions, comments, and stories about Christmas love to flash@japanradio.net, f-l-a-s-h at japan radio dot net, or on the Japan Radio website. We'll try to get to your messages between confessions.  
  
Nino's heart is pounding already.  
  
AIBA: Now, for our opening song. Of course, it's got to be this! "Christmas Eve" by Yamashita Tatsuro. Please listen!  
  
As the song starts playing, Nino pulls four messages from the stack of e-mails they received for this segment, far more than they were expecting for a live radio episode about confessions. He must have been right, he thinks to himself as he pulls a fifth, much more personal message out from under the table without anyone noticing; no one can say "no" to strangers' love confessions.  
  
He shuffles the papers over one another and fans them out across the table in front of Aiba, who smiles into his water bottle and nods. Nino's done his part. Now it's up to Aiba to hear him.  
  
Jun cues their return to the air, and Aiba straightens in his seat.  
  
NINOMIYA: Now, without further ado, let's start our special segment. I've placed five messages face-down on the table in front of Aiba-san. He'll choose one, and we'll send Cupid your way! Aiba-san, please.  
  
(special segment messages)  
  
"I just pick one?"  
  
"Just pick one." Nino can tell which one is his by the way the paper lifts around the text. He'd written and rewritten it a dozen times; he'd never had this much trouble in all his years of being a broadcast writer.  
  
Nino watches Aiba pore over the messages as he radio-mutters "which one... which one..." and Nino's suddenly not sure if he wants Aiba to pick his message. _That one... no, any one but that one!_ For the briefest moment he feels his body temperature spike with panic, but then Aiba's hand moves forward. Like clockwork, like magic, like he's the worst babanuki player ever, for better or for worse, Aiba picks the exact message Nino's thinking of.  
  
"This one!" Aiba flips the paper over. "Let's see... From Tokyo, pen name KazukoFight-san." Nino watches the gears grind into place in Aiba's head; he recognizes Nino's gaming handle right away. Nino quickly finds an outrageously interesting spot on the table to look at instead of meeting Aiba's eyes.  
  
He can feel Aiba's eyes on him before he continues. _"I've been together with someone for a few months now."_ Nino silently thanks the language gods that Japanese doesn't distinguish between singular and plural nouns; he doesn't need people judging them for what they don't understand. _"But the thing is, I've never told them how I feel. It took me a while to figure out what our relationship means to me, and during that time, I ended up getting the order wrong. I just want them to know that they're special to me."_ Nino's ears are about to self-combust entirely. _"I don't actually need help confessing, because I know they listen to this show, and I know they'll recognize me from this message. So thank you for reading it."_  
  
When Nino looks up again, Aiba's grin is so wide he's not sure how they'll get it out of the recording booth. Nino just nods, looks back at his spot on the table, and continues as if there's more there. "P.S. They actually have the same birthday as you, Aiba-san. For the rest of the world, this time of year may be Christmas, but for me, it's his birthday."  
  
Nino still refuses to look up, but Aiba clears his throat. "Well, I think this one's taken care of. Thanks for such a nice message, KazukoFight-san. I wish you everlasting happiness."  
  
Jun, gracious human being that he is, plays the sound clip that they'd prepared for this segment, a mix of bells and harps and a riff from a popular love song from the 80s.  
  
There's a hand on Nino's chin, forcing him to look up. Aiba leans in for a kiss.  
---


End file.
